Omphale (3 syl.). The masculine but attractive Queen of Lydia, to whom Hercules was bound a slave forthree years. He fell in love with her, and led an effeminate life spinning wool, while Omphale wore thelion's skin and was lady paramount. The celebrated picture of Hercules spinning in the presence of Omphale, by Annibal Carracei, is in theFarnese Gallery.

"Omphale" sounds like root of "navel". I wonder what the connection is. Comments?

O'pal From the Greek ops (the eye). Considered unlucky for the same reason that peacocks' feathers in ahouse are said to be unlucky. A peacock's feather, being full of eyes, act as spies in a house, prying intoone's privacy. Similarly, it is unlucky to introduce the eye-stone or opal into a house, because it willinterfere with the sanctity of domestic privacy

Ordeal (Saxon, great judgment), instituted long before the Conquest, and not abolished till the reign ofHenry III. Ordeals were of several kinds, but the most usual were by wager of battle, by hol or cold water, and byfire. This method of “trial” was introduced from the notion that God would defend the right, even bymiracle if needful.

Orkneys Either the Teutonic Orkn-cys (the water or islands of the whirlpool), in allusion to the twofamous whirlpools near the Isle of Swinna; or else the Norwegian Orkeyjar (northern islands), theHebrides being the Sudreyjar, or southern islands.

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